Exit releasing system for passenger-carrying vehicles



4 Oct. 17, 1961 J. WILLIAMS 3,

EXIT RELEASING SYSTEM FOR PASSENGER-CARRYING VEHICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1958 JZIMES L. W/LL/AMJ,

INVENTOR. @MJM.

Oct. 17, 1961 J. WILLIAMS EXIT RELEASING SYSTEM FOR PASSENGER-CARRYING VEHICLES Filed July 1, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J7me: L. W/LL/AMJ,

INVENTOR. @mz/fw fire. 6.

ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1961 J. WILLIAMS 3,

EXIT RELEASING SYSTEM FOR PASSENGER-CARRYINGVEHICLES Filed July 1, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

,4 TTOENEY- JANE: L. WILLIAM-5,

Oct. 17, 1961 J. WILLIAMS EXIT RELEASING SYSTEM PASSENGER-CARRYING VEHICLES Filed July 1, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J4me: L. WILL/A M6,

@MA/m/hz- ATTORNEY n t S e Pam 3,004,756. EXIT RELEASING SYSTEM FOR PASSENGER- I CARRYING VEHICLES James L. Williams, RR. 2, Box 202, Preble County, Ohio Filed July 1, 1958, Ser. No. 746,056 1 Claim. (Cl. 268-20) of a system which permits easy exit from. apa'ssengerr carrying vehicle.

A 'second'object is the provision of a system providing a primary unlatching means for hinged panels and with a secondary means for forcing the hinged panels outwardly to an open position from their normally closed position. 1

l A third object is the provision of a means in and forming a part of the system providing a sequence of operation thereof.

Another objectis the provision of a system wherebyall exit's in a passenger-carrying vehicle are forced open simultaneously;

Further objects and particular advantages of the invention will suggest themselves and become more apparent in the course of the following descriptiomand that which is new will be pointed out in the appended claim.

In order that the invention may be more fully under stood and appreciated,'l will now take up a detailed description thereof, with reference being had to the accom-j FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of one of the unlatching.

devices. e

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the unlatching device, taken from line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a detail section, taken fen line 44 of FIGURE 3. V

. FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of one of the unlatching devices similar to that shown in FIGURE 2, but with the latch'bolt thereof being shown in the position occurring in'the latching operation.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the unlatching device similar to that shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, but with the latching boltthereofbeingshown in retr-a'cted'position as occurs through the operational system.

. FIGURE -7 is a top plan view of one of the pushers or panehactuatingdevices. i 1

""FIGURE 8 is a jside elevational detail of one of the pusher ,or panel actliating devices, taken from line; 8 8 ofjFIGURE 7. I e t jFIGURE19fisa'nend elevation qf the device shown in FIGURE 8,1taken"fro m:line 9 9 of FIGURE 8. v

-FIGURE 10 a topplanlview of one of the unlatching de'yice's, butlwith the same having an air valve actuating armsecured thereto and operated thereby. j j l FIGURE 11 is a top plan view similar to that shown in FIGURE 10, but with the air valve actuating arm being shown in operative position with relation to the air valve.

FIGURE 12 is a detail vertical section through a vehicle body and the closure member thereof, and showing the closure member in latched condition.

FIGURE 13 is a partial vertical section similar to that ice shown in FIGURE 12, but showing the pusher or paneloperating device and with the same being shown in its normally retracted position. I

Likecharacters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In order that the invention, its operation, and uses may be more fully and comprehensively understood and appreciated, I will now take up a detailed description thereof in which the same will be more fully set forth, with reference thereto being had to the accompanying drawings forminga part hereof. I

Referring now to the drawings in detail, letters A designate thevehicle body, with the same being provided with a plurality of seats B,.and with each of the seats being shown as being located adjacent a bottom-hinged panel C.,

Mullions D are provided between the panels and providing openings in the side of the vehicle. Stops E are provided against which the panels C are adapted to close.

The upper end of each of the panels 0 is provided with; a latch keeper member 20 which is positioned below the upper edge of the panel sufiiciently to clear the stop E at a primary conduit system 21 which is connected to air.

' the head of the opening. l

I have provided latching means ateach of the panels, as shownin FIGURE 1. The latching means are pneua matically operated, air pressure supplied thereto through storage tank 22 having a gage 23. The primary conduit system has a rnaster valve 24 therein with the same being located near tank 22'with lever 25 being provided for opening and closing the valve. A cord or cords (not shown) may be secured inoperative condition to lever 25, with the cord or cords being located within reach of the operator and/ or passengers of the vehicle.

Thepusher or panel-actuating means are served with,

a second line 26 which is connected to primaryair 7 line 21 through a secondary plunger-operated valve;27. Each of the latching means is designated generally by' a numeral 28 in FIGURE 1, and with further parts thereof being shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 12. Each of the general latching mechanisms is composed of an air cylinder 29 having an end 30 and an end 31, with air line 21 being connected into end member 30.- 7 End member 31 has a reliefaperture 32 formed therein for the escape of normal air in the cylinder as the piston 33 is actuated by air pressure entering thecylinder through the line 21 andend member 30. Piston rod 34 is secured keeper 20. A compression spring 40 is positioned on the piston rod 34 with one end thereof bearing against en'd" member 30' and with the other end bearing against the inner end of latch bolt 35, with the normal-action of the spring providing means causing the beveled end portion 39 of the latch bolt 35' to project out of housing 41 to the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The assembly of the latching means is secured to and carried by mounting plate 42 which has apertures 43 formed through the normally vertical leg thereof for securing the assembly to thebody A by means of screws or bolts.

' Referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 6, it will be noted that air pressure introduced into the cylinder 29 through line 21 causes the piston 33 to move from the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 to the position shown in FIGURE 6, withdrawing the latch bolt 35 out of engagement with the latch keeper 20, and with the compression spring 40 providing a cushioning eflect when the piston 33 has reached its limit away {rom end 30.

Spring 40 further providesmeans permitting latch bolt 35 to be pushed into its housing 41 by the action of the latch keeper 20 in the closing movement of the respective panel C, with the latchbolt assuming the position shown in FIGURE as the latch keeper passes the end of the latch bolt. In coming into latching position, the latch keeper rides against thebeveled surface 39 of the latch bolt. After the latch keeper has passed the latch boltfspring 40 forees lateh bolt 35 outwardly into engagernent with the latch keeper.

Oneof the assemblies 28is modified slightly by extending the. piston rod through theendmember 31, with the rearward portion of thepiston rod being designated by numerals 34" in FIGURES Idand 11. Portion 34 has an-alrm 44 secured thereon and-extending laterally therefrom with therebeing a plungenactuating screw 45 adjustably-seeured through the outer end thereof. Screw 45-is adapted to contact andpush against plunger 46 of the plunger-operated valve j27 as the piston 33 retracts the latch'bolt 35 from the latch keeper 20, and with the plunger 46 opening valve -27 to permit air to flow firom line 21 into line 26. a

Each of the pusher or panel-actuating devices is designated generally by a numeral 47 in FIGURE 1, and with further parts'thereof being shown FIGURES 7, 8, 9 and 13. Each of the general pushers or panel-actuatingdevices is composed of an air cylinder 48-having ends 49 and 50 secured thereon. Airline '26 is secured into the end'member 49, as shown inFIGURES 7 and 8. End 50 is provided with a relief aperture 51 to permit the escape of nonnal air from the cylinder when piston-52 is operated by air pressure from line 26. Piston rod 53 is secured'into'piston 52, with the sameextending outwardly through end-member 50, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. A pusher arm member 54 is secured on and carried by the outer end of piston rod 53, and with bumper members 55 being secured on the ends of-the arm membe: 54. The members 53, 54 and 55 are shown inFIG that air pressure introduced into cylinder48 through line 26 willforeethe piston 521mm its location adjacent end' v 4 by the action of springs 40, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. -Also,-as the panels C -assume their normally closed positions, the pushers are returned to their normal positions by pressure thereagainst by the closing motion of the panels.

Operation 7 r 5 With all of the panels in closed and latched condition, the same may be opened by moving lever 25- to open the master valve24 permitting air from storage tank 22 to be distributed,-through'line 21 to the latching devices which, being actuated by the air pressure, retracts the latch bolts from their respective latch keepers 20. As the pistons in the latching members are forced toward ends- 31, screw .45 is forced against plunger 46 of the valve 27,

permitting the air to flow through valve 27 into line 26 where the same is distributed to the various pusher asseni blies. Should any of the panels C remain in closed condition after the unlatching operation, the same are pushed from their closed positions by the ushers,

In order to again close and latch the panels, valve 24 isclosed by means of lever 25, after which pressure in line 21 is released from cylinders 29 by opening release valves 60and 61, and by releasing the pressure in line 26 by opening release valve 62. The release of pressure from line 21 permits the latch bolts to engage the atch k ep r .0, d he r lease of pressure from line 26 the retraction of the pushers upon contact therewith by the respective Panels C moving to their latched positions.

From the above, it is obvious that the bottom-hinged panels C can be simultaneously unlatched and pushed open by the opening of master valve 24 and which permits rapid exit of the passengers from the vehicle.

5 I desire that it be understood that I am not to be limited to the specific vform and arrangement of the parts herein shown and described, butthat minor ch nges may be made therein, insofar as the changes may fall. within the scope of the appended claim.

49toward end member-50,'and with the piston rod 53 carrying the pusher' arm 54 and bumpers 55 "from the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 7- to the position shown-in broken lines in the-same figure. Referring-to FIGURE 13, the pusher assembly is shown in normal position with relation-t0 the panel C. I

Line 21 has a'oheck valve 58therein with-the valve beinglooated along one side of the-vehicle-between the The pressurerelease valves are. providedtorelease the,

thep esisure f m the ines 21. and 2.6 should the P e C e in el a ed. po it on nd a e roushtt theirnqrm l and latched position, Beforethe pressure release valves are open d. it is n c sary to close master valve 24. After the releaseof the 'p es nrein lines 21 and 26,

h la ch bolts 35 are b gh he r rmal positions H ng now shown and de cr b d the in en ion. hat Iclaim. a d de r t cu e by L tters Paten of the United States, is:

111 a pas enger-carrying ;le ha g bottom-hin closures. a .systemcf c o ure latching and unl t hin means, a system of closure pusher members, a primary air sys em e nd ng from an ir s o age o t latching and unlatching means, a secondary air line sysan Intending from the prim ry a r line sy m t rough a plunger-operated valve positioned between and connected witheach of the air line systems, with the secondary air line being extended to each of the closure pusher members,v withthe plunger-operated valve being operated byan arm secured on and carried by one of the latQhing and unlatching means after the unlatching operation has been completed, and with the pushing operation occurring in sequence after the unlatohing operation.

' 7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

